This Is Improbable Too: Synchronized Cows, Speedy Brain Extractors, and More WTF Research

As this sequel from Abrahams (This Is Improbable: Cheese String Theory, Magnetic Chickens, and Other WTF Research) nicely illustrates, some scientific endeavors are outrageously unnecessary—and outrageously entertaining to read about. The book’s unrelenting flood of hilarious headlines, however, grows excessive, particularly for a science enthusiast. Most of the silly studies are covered in one to three short pages. As a result, readers can’t glean much in the way of deeper understanding from the silliness, merely the knowledge that it silly. That said, some studies are sure to pique the reader’s interest. One scientific paper finds that some mothers can distinguish their own babies’ poop from unknown infants’, raising the question of whether this faculty might be another clue to the power of the mother/child bond. Most of the papers never rise above the level of pure novelty: witness “Expletives of Lower Working-Class Women” or the study that examines potential causes of “beer bellies in Germans.” Die-hard fans of the very witty Abrahams and his unconventional science reporting will find much to love here, but those who prefer a bit more science should look elsewhere. (Aug.)